Ask Cave Dog a question!

      Cave Dog started leaving us messages in 1994 when we lived in France. We would be wondering about the pronunciation of a wine name, or what varietals are allowed in what regions, then would leave the room. When we got back into the room, one of our books would be on the table, open to the page with the answer to our question. Other times there would be a note scribbled in barely-legible hand writing, again with the answer. Only Laura, as a seven-year-old, has ever seen Cave Dog. She drew a picture of him on a white board, which we scanned.
      When we moved back to Livermore we discovered that Cave Dog had come back to California with us. As we started making wine, he began leaving us hints on how to improve our wine or what to do next in making the wine. Even though Cave Dog won't talk to us directly, he's agreed to answer questions about wine via email.

to ask Cave Dog a question.

      Cave Dog also gave John the Younger the idea for the doors he made for the winery. Clear heart redwood salvaged from a turn-of-the-century wine tank that had been in continuous use at Wente since before prohibition form the basis for our cellar doors, designed and built by John the Younger. These massive doors were constructed at the pre-turn-of-the-century Big White House. Trimming these planks filled the air with both redwood and red wine, a wonderful aroma of clear heart redwood and 100 years of Livermore Valley red wine vintages.